The current state of some European attitudes and policies to online gaming, such as online bingo and the offering of free online bingo halls, is still stuck in the dark ages. This is the inference when you hear what Austrian online gaming company Bwin has to say about its recent move to sponsor Spanish football giants Real Madrid. I quote:

“In the future, Bwin will therefore be investing its available sponsoring resources in markets that have adopted an enlightened attitude to the subject of gaming regulation,”

An ‘enlightened’ attitude, please note.

European countries that continue to block the inevitable will only continue to lose out. The UK’s regulated approach to online gaming has seen the online bingo industry in this country grow in both diversity and quality, something government-controlled institutions are notorious at not doing. In the end, it’s their loss and Real Madrid’s gain.

Written by John Witherspoon - Play bingo online at http://bingostreet.com/ and read online bingo news.

It makes interesting reading looking at the reports on how some US Congress Representatives respond to the arguments being put forward by those testifying on behalf of Congressman Barney Franks new Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act.

Happily, some have actually come to the conclusion that they should never have voted for the much-maligned Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) in the first place.

In particular, one Julia Carson from Indiana seemed perplexed by the lack of a pro-UIGEA response to a question in which she asked why Indiana gamblers could bet online on horses but not on other Internet wagers. She has subsequently shifted her position to supporting Frank’s bill.

US online bingo players have been asking the same question since UIGEA became law last year. Now Congressman Frank has 23 representatives supporting his attempt to reform this “most stupid of Internet laws�, though he seems to think it is not enough yet to take it to a vote.

Of course, should he gain the support needed this would be welcome news for everyone in the free online bingo games industry – after all, welcoming back US customers into our UK online bingo halls can only be a good thing for all.

Written by John Witherspoon - Play bingo online at http://bingostreet.com/ and read bingo news.

The ever burgeoning problems faced by Isle of Man-based e-wallet Neteller must make for alarming reading amongst the online gambling industry, including those of us in the online bingo niche.

Bedeviled by a US Department of Justice investigation, stung by identity theft problems in Canada and generally bad-mouthed by its former US customers for its decision to freeze their accounts, Neteller’s days must surely be numbered.

However, the free online bingo industry can learn some lessons here if it chooses to. Primary amongst those is the need to maintain a transparency in operations to ensure continued customer confidence. Online gambling needs customers who trust its ability to deliver on-the-level services while being accessible and discreet at the same time.

While nobody is accusing Neteller of illegal activities at this stage, I feel a great many of their problems would have been reduced if they had been more open about their actions in the first place. If Neteller manage to get through this, well done to them. How they will pull this off remains to be seen.

Written by John Witherspoon - Play bingo online at http://bingostreet.com/ and read celebrity gossip.

Efforts by those to change the effects of the US government’s UIGEA law is having on the online gambling industry will be pleased to see progress is finally being made.

Testimony is well under way before the House Committee on Financial Services regards the proposal to introduce a regulatory framework for Internet gambling would protect consumers and ensure the integrity of Internet gambling financial transactions. The proposal is the work of Congressman Barney Frank and has seen the support of many experts through testimony on how online gambling technologies have proven successful in combating underage and compulsive gambling and protecting against money laundering, fraud and identity theft.

For those of us who have been following this saga from an online bingo perspective, it’s good to see the debate finally get underway before the agenda setters who can help change this ‘most stupid of internet laws’. People who play free online bingo in the US should be allowed access to some of the foreign offerings in the online bingo industry and it is hoped that the House Committee on Financial Services will see some sense gets injected back into US internet policy.

Written by John Witherspoon - Play bingo online at http://bingostreet.com/ and read celebrity gossip.

Meanwhile, over at the poker table, UK online bingo players may have noticed that one of their compatriots, a self-employed landscape gardener from Sunderland, has won a shopping US$1 million-plus payout from a Party Casino Super Fortune Wheel game.

While online poker isn’t really my game, it’s always good news to hear that someone has made good in the online gaming world. Free online bingo can generate similar prizes (visit any of Bingo Street’s online bingo halls for a look at what’s on offer) and I simply enjoy the atmosphere of online bingo more than any other form of online gambling, but it does the heart good to hear of a win.

Written by John Witherspoon - Play bingo online at http://bingostreet.com/ and read online bingo news.

An interesting read in the US publication The Motely Fool caught my attention recently when an article criticizing the US’ UIGEA laws made print. Known for its sometimes irreverent view of matters investment and financial, The Motely Fool is a well respected rag in the US, so it’s generally anti-UIGEA stance is noteworthy.

Concentrating on the welcome efforts by Congressman Barney Frank to have UIGEA reformed to regulate and license internet gambling, the article points out some of the more obvious inequities brought about by the law. In particular, the article points to the glaring unfairness that allows state-run lotteries and horse race gambling to run businesses over the net, but not foreign online gambling operators and online payment processors.

People who have been reading this blog will already know that the online bingo industry went from being one of the healthiest and fastest growing niches in online gaming only to lose a massive portion of its market once operating online bingo halls for US customers became untenable.

It seems a growing number of US mainstream publications are beginning to recognize UIGEA as an awful mistake. My favourite line from Motely Foll’s commentary piece:

“…I understand that the you-scratch-my-back-and-I’ll-scratch-yours nature of lawmaking in this country can be like a protection racket. Here, it seems to have aided big operators like Wynn Resorts (Nasdaq: WYNN), Las Vegas Sands (NYSE: LVS), and MGM Mirage (NYSE: MGM), while completely disregarding the (mostly) law-abiding online poker players.â€?

Exactly how those US citizens who play online bingo must feel.

Written by John Witherspoon - Play bingo online at http://bingostreet.com/ and read bingo news.

So, the planet’s most famous functioning dysfunctional family, the Osbournes are to join forces with online games developer Microgaming as part of a plan to take the world of online gambling by storm.

News that the smiling face of online bingo hall Gala Bingo, one Sharon Osbourne, and her rock-god husband Ozzy have signed a deal with Microgaming is seen a major coup for the maker of such fine gaming products as the Hitman and Lara Croft slots.

Their equally famous children are also part of the deal and Microgaming CEO Roger Raatgever is over the moon about it all.
“I can honestly say that when I came into this business I would never have believed that one day we would be welcoming Ozzy Osbourne and his family into the fold,â€? enthused the Microgaming head honcho.

Having played the online bingo game offered by Microgaming, I can attest to the excellent quality of Microgaming’s products.

All I hope is that this heralds a growing focus by Microgaming on developing even better offering in the area of online bingo games. After all, many of us have become quite familiar with Sharon Osbourne’s presence in the online bingo world and would hope to see her profile broaden further to bring more into the bingo fold.

Written by John Witherspoon - Play bingo online at http://bingostreet.com/ and read celebrity gossip.

Congratulations to Katie Price, AKA Jordan, and more importantly your ever glamourous Foxy Bingo host. Why? She’s released her second novel following the success of her debut novel.

Speaking as a writer, this is quite an achievement, and while the subject matter may not appeal to me directly (story of an 18-year-old glamour model looking for true love), I do recognise the dedication to work Ms Price will have put in.

I don’t think Ms Price has even added an online bingo angle to this story, so that’s not even in there to entice me into this “sexy story of passion and betrayal and one woman’s search for true love�. But ‘sexy’ is a word I associate with online bingo hall Foxy Bingo and while Ms Price continues to front it, it can only be good for the industry in general to have such dynamic people associated with it.

So, once again, well done Katie – I shall be looking to see how your new novel is reviewed in the Foxy Bingo chat rooms.

Written by John Witherspoon - Play bingo online at http://bingostreet.com/ and read celebrity gossip.

Things must be tough all over for Neteller at the moment. Not only are two of its founder still in limbo under US arrest for violating online gambling payment laws in that country, but it has also missed its payment schedule for the return of frozen funds to its increasingly impatient US customers.

Despite Neteller executives assuring its customers that progress is being made behind the scenes, US customers who have been waiting for their owed funds must be at the stage where they want to scream ‘show me the money!’

The Neteller saga will have far reaching consequences for people’s confidence in online gaming, including those of us who play online bingo and spend money at online bingo halls. A bit more transparency would not go amiss regards Neteller’s handling of the situation.

Written by John Witherspoon - Play bingo online at http://bingostreet.com/ and read celebrity gossip.

It seems that in the corporate world of online gaming it’s becoming more and more difficult to find executives willing to move with the company.

As online gaming companies seek pastures more green and environments more conducive to running an online gambling business, an increasing amount of high level executives are refusing to move.

Chartwell Games CEO Lee Richardson joins former Crytologic CEO Lewis Rose in deciding to rather step down than follow the company to a new location of operations. While both departures are reported to have taken place amicably, this must be a worrying trend in the online gaming industry.

On the other hand, destinations such as Dublin and Malta must have their own special attractions over and above the obvious corporate benefits. Now I wonder what sort of office view Malta offers your average Chartwell CEO? Where’s that CV of mine. . .?

For those online bingo players that haven’t already read the Bingo Street news item on the Lee Richardson, his soon to be former employer have recently added a new 90-ball online bingo game to their range of products – specially targeted at UK online bingo halls.

I have not had a chance to play this Flash-based version of online bingo myself, but would be interested in hearing from anyone who has.

Written by John Witherspoon - Play bingo online at http://bingostreet.com/ and read online bingo news.